The Oncoming Storm
by Agafan
Summary: After a period of uneasy peace and attempted diplomacy, mankind's enemies are once again mobilising. In return, however, the fleets of the TEC are moving to counter this renewed attack, and in the middle of the action is Battlegroup Phoenix. However, there is a far more sinister for the renewed assault than any would imagine... Sins of a Solar Empire fanfic.


**Flag Bridge**  
**TCN** _**Phoenix**_  
**Hamal system**  
**1734 TFT**

Right on time, the Akkan-class Battlecruiser _Phoenix_ dropped out of phase space. A second later there was a flash over to port as the Kol-class Battleship _Warspite_ and its brother ship _Ragnarok_ dropped out beside it. To the starboard, the Marza-class Dreadnought _Hellhammer_ appeared. All around, over the next few minutes, the rest of Battlegroup Phoenix dropped out of phase space, which also included the Sova-class Carrier _Kittyhawk_, as well as just over two dozen cruisers and frigates.  
Rear-Admiral Rafael Daxim sat in his chair on the flag bridge of the _Phoenix_, studying the holographic display in front of him. "Looks like we're going for plan Delta." He told the _Phoenix_'s captain, a man by the name of James Byrne.

Before setting off, apart from the fact that the Vasari were approaching Hamal there had been no intelligence. Plan Delta made provisions for the Vasari already beginning a siege on Hamal. The majority of the fleet would form up around most of the capital ships and smash their way through the enemy fleet- breaking the siege as soon as possible was the most importance objective. However, it would also mean that Batlegroup Phoenix would be among the enemy ships, a close-quarters knife-fight. But nevertheless that was what Battlegroup Phoenix was going to do: slash and burn.

He opened a channel to all captains. "This is the Admiral. It appears the Vasari are already in the process of sieging the planet. We will be using Delta, I repeat, plan Delta. Good luck out there. Just stay tight and remember the plan. Daxim out."  
The short briefing was somewhat pointless. On his three-dimensional holographic display in front of him, he could select ships and give them manual orders, as he would be as they closed on the alien fleet. Nevertheless, he preferred making sure all his captains know he wasn't just a faceless admiral sending them to their deaths. He sat back in his chair and idly rubbed his clean-shaven chin, hazel eyes fixed on the display. His lean frame seemed somewhat incongruous in the large admiral's chair, but his presence seemed to nevertheless fill it perfectly.

Navigation Bridge  
TCN _Phoenix_  
Hamal System  
1740 TFT

The _Phoenix_'s bridge was a controlled frenzy of activity. Captain Byrne stood in the middle of it, arms folded and face calm as he gazed as the main viewscreen.  
"Status?" He asked Tactical.  
"All weapons ready, cap'n. Shields cycled up to full power."  
Byrne nodded. "PriFly?"  
"All fighters launched, sir."  
"Good..." He murmured, suppressing the flutter of nervousness in his stomach. The admiral knew what he was doing, and it looked like they slightly outnumbered the enemy fleet... Moreover, they were in the planet's gravity well, which gave the Battlegroup Phoenix the advantage as if they stood upon a hill. Not an easy victory, by all accounts, but an assured one. He just felt like there was something wrong, somehow... He sighed silently and nodded to Tactical, giving permission for the _Phoenix_'s guns to come alive.

**Battlegroup Phoenix**  
**Hamal system**  
**1741 TFT**

Battlegroup Phoenix thundered through the void, past the scrap metal that had been orbital structures and defences. The two Kols announced their presence with a shudder, as their axial railguns spat metal travelling at a respectable percentage of light-speed at the Vasari fleet. The aliens were now breaking from low-orbit over the planet Battlegroup Phoenix was here to save, as the fleet's laser weapons lit up the void, and autocannons silently flashed as they spat their deadly munitions.  
_Ragnarok_ and _Warspite_ were accompanied by five Kodiak Heavy Cruisers and a dozen Cobalt Light Frigates. Just behind them, the _Phoenix_ and _Hellhammer_ followed, accompanied by five Garda Flak Frigates, whose autocannons readied to bring down the oncoming Vasari strikecraft.  
_Hellhammer_ was spewing out missiles as it came, assisted by the quartet of Javelis Long-Range Missile frigates, hanging back with the _Kittyhawk_ and its escort of four Percheron Light Carriers as bombers and fighters were launched to join the main charge. Hovering close by the carriers was the Battlegroup's single Hoshiko Robotics Cruiser, ready to be called forward when Vasari weapons began to pierce shields and punch through hulls.

The round from _Ragnarok_'s powerful axial railgun smashed into a Vasari Skirantra Carrier, piercing shields and smashing laterally through the low-slung carrier, causing it to snap in half and go down in a blaze of light. The explosion destroyed many strike craft and overloaded the shields of several nearby frigates. _Warspite_'s round hit a Kortal Devastator - roughly analogous to a Kol battleship - but its shields held firm, though flared dangerously as swarms of missiles slammed into it. Seconds later Battlegroup Phoenix's fighter compliment hit the oncoming Vasari strike craft, attempting to stop bombers and take down fighters that were preying on the TEC bombers in turn. Only a few moments behind these were Battlegroup Phoenix's bombers. A few were blown, taken out by fighters, but the majority struck the Vasari fleet, raining missiles on frigates and cruisers. The Vasari Fleet's anti-fighter weapons came to life, scoring hits and bringing bombers down. But by then Battlegroup Phoenix was amongst the enemy.

**Flag Bridge**  
**TCN _Phoenix_**  
**Hamal system**  
**1741 TFT**

In his command chair, Admiral Daxim's mouth set into a grim line as his battlegroup engaged the enemy. On his display he saw _Ragnarok_'s four axial beams - represented as slender orange threads - reach out and touch the Kortal Devastator. Daxim directed the _Ragnorok_ and four of his Kodiaks to engage, then pulled back the view, guiding his Cobalts to screen the capital ships. _Warspite_ quite literally punched through several enemy light frigates with its lasers and autocannons to engage several Kanrak missile ships with its beams and secondary weapons. He noted with satisfaction that another railgun round from the _Ragnarok_ had pierced the Devastator's weakened shields and the enemy capital ship was being ravaged by internal explosions. The _Ragnarok_ and its Kodiak escort fired one final burst with autocannons into the ship's engines, setting off a nuclear explosion, before turning away and re-joining the fray.  
Bombers from _Kittyhawk_ engaged seige ships bombarding Hamal's cities from orbit. It seemed that they only had one other capital ship, a Vulkoras Desolator that had been bombarding the planet but now was pulling away to engage the TEC battlegroup. A storm of missiles from _Hellhammer_ struck it, making its shields flare. Autocannons and lasers began to punch through to the hull. A squadron of bombers linked their systems together and a storm of missiles flew one after another, with only a two-centimetre drift, to strike deep inside the Desolator's hull. Autocannons and lasers from the _Phoenix_ sealed its fate. Daxim moved the _Kittyhawk_ and his Hoshiko to join the fleet around the planet, leaving the light carriers in place. _Kittyhawk_'s firepower would be a welcome addition, and his strike craft would not have to move as far to refuel and rearm. Daxim began moving back several Cobalts that had ruptured hulls for the Hoshiko's repair bots to handle.  
Things were going well.  
Too well, as it turned out.

"Sir!" His aide called, looking up from his own display. "We've got Vasari reinforcements incoming!"  
Daxim hurriedly zoomed out on his display and saw the ships coming out from the glare of Hamal's sun. His blood ran cold. Two Kortul Devastators, another two Antorak Marauders - similar to an Akkan Battlecruiser in firepower. An additonal Skirantra Carrier. Almost three dozen smaller frigates and cruisers, the same again strike craft. Battlegroup Phoenix, though having blown the enemy capital ships, was still having to deal with the frigates and cruisers. They were trapped near the planet, with enemies on both sides. Unless he could think of something quickly, the best-case scenario would be that they took heavy losses, and leave Hamal open for the Vasari. He would _not_ let that happen.

* * *

Sins of a Solar Empire is one of my favourite RTS games, ever. This is most likely going to get more love than Return of the Dragons, but I'll continue working on both of them, of course.

All suggestions, comments, and critiques are very welcome, the more you give me feedback the better it's going to be!


End file.
